The Fair Play Table includes fan behaviour, but is it fair? Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Bad news, Stoke fans. The Barclays Premier League have unveiled the latest ‘Fair Play League‘ – and we’re bottom.

But, somewhat ironically, we have been shown six cards less than our rivals in the Premier League.

There are many things in football that just don’t make sense – and the Fair Play League (FPL) is one of them.

Not only have we been shown fewer cards than anyone else, we’re also the most fouled team in the Premier League – so what’s the purpose of this league?

The winners of the FPL can actually qualify for the preliminary qualifying stages of the UEFA Europa League, based on a variety of other criteria (mainly all of our European competition slots not being taken by cup or league winners).

And whilst it may be unlikely that the winners of this year’s FPL will actually qualify for European competition next year, the methodology behind the table is an absolute shambles – as evidenced by our current position.

Whilst we’re bottom of the league, Liverpool currently top the table – a team who has been noted in the media for it’s diving and theatrics for much of this season.

Further adding to the lunacy of the table, Liverpool have also accumulated the second highest cards tally – nearly 30 more than Stoke, in fact!

If it was left to the Premier League, real fans would be locked out of football grounds in favour of their corporate partners. Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

So, how is the table calculated?

According to the Premier League website, each game is assessed by a delegate, who scores each side based on the number of cards received, positive in-game actions, respect towards opposition and officials, behaviour of team officials and the behaviour of the fans.

So, with the exception of the number of cards received, it’s mostly subjective opinion of an individual from the Premier League or FA.

According to the methodology, fans who create hostile environments or who don’t applaud the opposition’s play actually have a negative effect on their team’s overall score.

So, as a loyal and proud Stoke fan, I’m meant to sit there and be quiet, whilst applauding our rivals scoring goals against us? What a joke.

At a time when the Premier League are seemingly selling their souls to the devil, they – along with the FA – seem intent on sterilising fans and ridding our grounds of the kind of passion and loyalty that is thriving in Germany, Italy, Turkey, Greece and Spain.

Based on their calculations, I can only assume that the Premier League delegates see Stoke fans as the most passionate and loyal. And that’s just fine with me.